Analysis Summary

As of 2025, WannaCry, also known as WanaCrypt0r 2.0, remains a landmark example of the devastating potential of ransomware. First detected in May 2017, WannaCry rapidly infected hundreds of thousands of Windows systems worldwide by exploiting a vulnerability in the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol through an exploit called EternalBlue, a cyber weapon originally developed by the NSA and leaked by the hacker group Shadow Brokers. Despite Microsoft releasing patches before the attack, widespread failure to update systems allowed the malware to propagate quickly, causing extensive disruption across industries, particularly in healthcare and finance, and leading to estimated damages of up to $4 billion. Even years later, EternalBlue continues to be used in various cyberattacks, including cryptocurrency mining and espionage campaigns, as many machines globally still remain unpatched. Recent research has advanced ransomware detection and defense strategies, including the development of the SAFARI framework for automated ransomware analysis, entropy-based detection techniques like Entropy-Synchronized Neural Hashing (ESNH), and decentralized models like DED for monitoring distributed systems. Nonetheless, the persistent risks associated with WannaCry highlight ongoing cybersecurity challenges, emphasizing the crucial need for timely system updates, the disabling of outdated protocols like SMBv1, increased employee awareness, strong network monitoring, and robust backup strategies to defend against similar threats. The legacy of WannaCry serves as a powerful reminder of the high stakes involved in cybersecurity and the enduring importance of proactive digital defense measures.

Impact

• File Encryption

Indicators of Compromise

MD5

• 586e6707e6e1c925044fe665e293fd95

SHA-256

• 050c6b14a0308fc4adbafec1465b2202b8d378b0e8df7cce38b04e35772b04f3

SHA-1

• c68eac0a3b4da13afd1ca5137b5c23fcb8c87d65

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for Indicators of compromise (IOCs) in your environment utilizing your respective security controls
• Maintain cyber hygiene by updating your anti-virus software and implementing a patch management lifecycle.
• Maintain Offline Backups - In a ransomware attack, the adversary will often delete or encrypt backups if they have access to them. That’s why it’s important to keep offline (preferably off-site), encrypted backups of data and test them regularly.
• Emails from unknown senders should always be treated with caution.
• Never trust or open links and attachments received from unknown sources/senders.